French Royalty. Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria was born in Munich, Bavaria. At the age of 8, she was engaged to her second cousin Louis, the Dauphin of France. Her education in preparation for marriage included instruction in French, Italian, and Latin, in addition to her native German. A proxy marriage ceremony took place in Munich in January 1680. The couple met for the first time in March of that year, on the day of their wedding. Upon the birth of her first child Louis in 1682, Maria Anna became "La Grande Dauphine." After the death of her mother-in-law Queen Maria Theresa of Spain in 1683, the Dauphine ranked as the most prominent female at court and was given the late queen's apartments. Ill health made it difficult for her to fulfill the duties of the first lady at court. Maria Anna was falsely accused of hypochondria by the king. She had three children: Louis de France who fathered the future King Louis XV of France, Philippe de France who became King Philip V of Spain, and Charles de France who became the Duke of Berry. Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria died at age 29, in the Palace of Versailles. Her autopsy revealed a number of medical conditions which vindicated her complaints of illness. In a painting of her done posthumously, she holds the crown of the Dauphine and wears a robe in the Fleur-de-Lis pattern representative of the House of Bourbon.
French Royalty. Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria was born in Munich, Bavaria. At the age of 8, she was engaged to her second cousin Louis, the Dauphin of France. Her education in preparation for marriage included instruction in French, Italian, and Latin, in addition to her native German. A proxy marriage ceremony took place in Munich in January 1680. The couple met for the first time in March of that year, on the day of their wedding. Upon the birth of her first child Louis in 1682, Maria Anna became "La Grande Dauphine." After the death of her mother-in-law Queen Maria Theresa of Spain in 1683, the Dauphine ranked as the most prominent female at court and was given the late queen's apartments. Ill health made it difficult for her to fulfill the duties of the first lady at court. Maria Anna was falsely accused of hypochondria by the king. She had three children: Louis de France who fathered the future King Louis XV of France, Philippe de France who became King Philip V of Spain, and Charles de France who became the Duke of Berry. Maria Anna Victoria of Bavaria died at age 29, in the Palace of Versailles. Her autopsy revealed a number of medical conditions which vindicated her complaints of illness. In a painting of her done posthumously, she holds the crown of the Dauphine and wears a robe in the Fleur-de-Lis pattern representative of the House of Bourbon.
Bio by: Anne Philbrick
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